The Phillies' foes in the nation's capital could get stronger, in the chance they could get weaker. Fomer Phillies pitcher and unsigned Scott Boras client Kyle Lohse may find a job after all thanks to former Phillies prospect Gio Gonzalez. With the Biogenesis scandal in Miami that named Gio Gonzalez as a customer the Nationals may be worried about their top starter of 2013 facing a 50 game suspension.
Adam Kilgore of The Washington Post today writes,
In the event Gonzalez receives a suspension, or even to prepare for the possibility, the Nationals may try to swoop in and sign free agent right-hander Kyle Lohse, who went 16-3 with a 2.86 ERA for the Cardinals last year. Lohse, 34, is represented by Scott Boras, with whom the Nationals share a strong relationship.
This is telling about how worried teams are about those named players getting suspended. Gio Gonzalez, Ryan Braun, and Nelson Cruz could face penalties. Despite not failing a test, Major League Baseball set a precedent by suspending Jose Guillen for receiving a shipment of PEDs.
The scarier part would be after Gonzalez's suspension, should he have one. The Nationals could go into the playoffs with a rotation of Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann, and Kyle Lohse, with a dominant bullpen to boot.
